Drunken soldier went on barefoot run up canal lock

Darragh Baldrick

Andrew Phelan

May 12 2021 07:20 AM

A DRUNKEN soldier shouted “expletives” at gardaí who tried to stop him as he ran barefoot across a bridge.

Darragh Baldrick (21) ran directly in front of a passing car during the “stupid” and “dangerous” incident that could have ended tragically for him, a court heard.

Baldrick, of Grove Park, Rathmines, Dublin 6, pleaded guilty to public intoxication and threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour.

Judge Treasa Kelly struck the charges out, leaving him without convictions after he donated €350 to charity.

Dublin District Court heard gardaí were called to Lower Rathmines Road at 6.20am on March 31 after Baldrick ran from his home in an extremely intoxicated state.

The gardaí came across him running across the lock at the canal, not wearing any shoes.
When signalled to stop, Baldrick ran in front of a moving car and shouted expletives at the gardaí, the court heard.

He continued running on the Rathmines Road while gardaí tried to stop him out of concern for his safety.

After he was arrested, his behaviour “continued in that vein” for a short time.

Defence solicitor Donal Quigley said the accused accepted it had been very dangerous to cross a canal lock bridge in that state and that it “could have ended quite tragically for him”.

He now had an insight into how “stupid his behaviour was, running around in bare feet in the middle of the night”.

Baldrick had since moved back into the army barracks “for discipline”, where he would be “more contained and controlled,” Mr Quigley said.

He had one previous conviction for public intoxication after he “slipped up before”.

“It wouldn’t be the most serious thing in the world for most people, but for him, it’s a huge issue because he’s in the army,” Mr Quigley said.

A conviction would start a process that could result in his dismissal, he said, asking for the judge to leave the accused without convictions.

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Drunken soldier went on barefoot run up canal lock

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